Faster typing with external keyboards
3. May, 2004
Handheld devices are great for viewing information, but typing lengthy notes without a proper keyboard can be troublesome. External keyboards attached to smartphones and PDAs allow those people who don't want to write on the screen with a pen to use their handhelds for typing email messages and notes.
PDAs rarely come with a keyboard because they have been designed for writing with a stylus - a special pen used on touch screens. Character recognition software on a PDA translates the lines drawn on its screen into letters and numbers. However, you may have to learn new letters: Palm devices expect you to draw specially-designed, simplified characters, while other PDAs can understand printed characters. Lately, new handheld models with thumb-operated keypads that are as wide as PDAs have been made available, but you can still find all letters and numbers in them. Examples are PalmOne Tungsten C or W and HP iPAQ H4355.
The two greatest benefits of external keyboards are faster typing speed, compared to using a stylus, and the ability to be taken on the road along with the handheld. External keyboards are kept folded in a small PDA-size package when not used and are unfolded and attached to the handheld when used. The latest invention in the industry is a virtual keyboard. Laser light generates a picture of a keyboard on a table and you type as you normally would, pushing the virtual keys on the table instead of real ones.
An external keyboard must be laid on a table or another flat surface when you want to type. Foldable keyboards are not as solid as computer keyboards which is why typing on a keyboard on your lap may prove difficult with many keyboard models.
If you haven't got a handheld yet and you expect to be typing lengthy notes frequently, it is advisable to invest in a product with a built-in keyboard. The following handheld products, for instance, come with a keyboard: Motorola MPx, Nokia 9210 and 9500 Communicators, PalmOne Treo 600 (thumb keyboard) and RIM Blackberry (thumb keyboard).
What is the best type of keyboard?
The choice of external keyboard depends on your handheld model, how firm a keyboard you want and how much flexibility you want for using it with different handheld models. Three types of keyboards are commonly available:
- Stowaway Wireless keyboard, infrared connection (photo by Think Outside)
A) Keyboards that use infrared light for connecting to the handheld. The infrared port of the handheld must have visual connection to the infrared port of the keyboard. The connection is sensitive to movement, but the benefit is the wide availability of compatible infrared ports on PDAs, smartphones and mobile phones. For instance, the Nokia 3650, Nokia 6600, Sony Ericsson P800 and Treo 600 smartphones can be attached to these types of keyboards as long as the keyboard comes with a software driver for the particular smartphone.
- Belkin SnapNType keyboard (photo by Belkin)
B) Small thumb-operated keyboards that are connected on the bottom of a PDA. This type of keyboard is convenient if you expect to be typing in places where you can't find a table or the space is otherwise limited. We wouldn't try to write a novel on a thumb keyboard, but typing a brief email, for instance, is a breeze once you get used to the keyboard.
- iBIZ XELA keyboard (photo by iBIZ)
C) External keyboards that use a handheld's cradle connector for hooking up to the device. This mechanism gives an additional benefit: it doubles as a cradle and holds the handheld firmly in place. These type of keyboards are commonly available for Pocket PC and Palm PDAs.
Popular keyboard models
- The Belkin Wireless PDA Keyboard, USD 79, is compatible with Palm and Pocket PC handhelds. The Belkin SnapType Keyboard, USD 19, is a thumb operated keypad for iPAQ PDAs.
- iBiz has designed two unique products. Virtual Laser Keyboard, USD 99 for Pocket PC, Palm handhelds and Windows computers. The Virtual Keyboard uses a laser light to project a full-size keyboard onto any flat surface. As you type on the virtual keyboard, the location of your fingers are measured and translated into characters. Another product is the Xela keyboard for Palm devices, USD 69. It is a small keyboard, which is firmly attached to the handheld.
- Landware GoType keyboards, from USD 29 to USD 49, for Pocket PC and Palm devices.
- Logitech TypeAway Keyboard, USD 59, available for Palm handhelds.
- Stowaway Infrared Wireless Keyboard, USD 69. This product can be connected to a variety of handhelds: Palm and Pocket PC PDAs, Nokia 3650 and 6600, SonyEricsson P800, Treo 600 smartphones (even though the Treo 600 comes with a thumb-operated keyboard). Another model, Stowaway XT, USD 99, is for Palm devices.
- Targus Universal Wireless Keyboard, USD 79 for Palm and Pocket PC PDAs.
Some people get so skilled in writing with a stylus that they can write all their notes and email messages with it, but for the rest of us, a keyboard is a more convenient solution for frequent typing. If you choose to get a handheld and an external keyboard, try it out before you buy it, and remember to take the keyboard along on the road with the handheld.
